Part A Which of the following statements describes how waves refract when approa
ID: 155155 • Letter: P
Question
Part A Which of the following statements describes how waves refract when approaching a shoreline that consists of a headland and an adjacent bay? Waves refract toward the bay because water s moving slower in front of the headland than in front of the bay. Waves refract toward the bay because water is moving slower in front of the bay than in front of the headland. Waves refract toward the headland because water is moving slower in front of the headland than in front of the bay. Waves refract toward the headland because water is moving slower in front of the bay than in front of the headland. Part B Which of the following statements about coastal erosion and deposition is true? Sand is found in the headland because deposition is occurring in this location Big boulders are found in the headland because deposition is occurring in this area. Big boulders are found in the bay because deposition s occurring in this area Sand is found in the bay because erosion is occurring in this location. Big boulders are found in the headland because erosion is occurring in this location.Explanation / Answer
Part A: Headland and bays are coastal features formed due to differential erosion of rocks. Bays are formed when the weakly resistant rocks are eroded leaving behind resistant rocks which form headland. The refraction of wave takes place on the headland in which the energy of the wave is concentrated. The water reach shallower depth as soon it approaches the headland so the waves slow down and in front of the headland wavelength gets shortened. Whereas the water in the bay continue to move at the same speed and wavelength since it has not come into contact with the shallower water and the wave energy is dispersed throughout the bay. Therefore wave refract toward the headland as it is moving slower in front of the headland than in front of the bay.
Part B: The bays and headland are the coastal features formed due to differential erosion of the rocks. Bay is formed when the weakly resistant rocks like sand and clays are eroded whereas headlands are formed when highly resistant rocks like limestone and granite are left behind. Headlands are the sites when convergence of wave took place so they are sites of high breaking with intense erosion. Whereas divergence of wave took place and they become sites of deposition. Since the headlands are the sites of erosion big boulders are found in the headland.